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Vi är herrar över lagen, inte lagen över oss - Om rätten att äga och avtala i Sovjetunionen.

Rauer, Viktor LU (2019) LAGF03 20191
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract
The establishment of the Soviet Union entailed drastic changes for the Russian society, not least for the legal areas. The most distinctive characteristic of the Soviet Union was the idea that a pre-drafted state plan, a planned economy, would govern the supply and demand on the market within the union. The idea originated from Marxist ideology, which advocated that communism be introduced into society by means of the state taking ownership of the means of production and then dissolving itself, after having distributed the means of production to the citizens based on their needs. As a consequence of the introduction of planned economy, citizens were deprived of ownership of land, forest, water and businesses. What remained was the right to... (More)
The establishment of the Soviet Union entailed drastic changes for the Russian society, not least for the legal areas. The most distinctive characteristic of the Soviet Union was the idea that a pre-drafted state plan, a planned economy, would govern the supply and demand on the market within the union. The idea originated from Marxist ideology, which advocated that communism be introduced into society by means of the state taking ownership of the means of production and then dissolving itself, after having distributed the means of production to the citizens based on their needs. As a consequence of the introduction of planned economy, citizens were deprived of ownership of land, forest, water and businesses. What remained was the right to personal property, which meant the right to own one’s salary, one car and one home.

Not only was the possibility for ownership restricted – nor could the citizens freely conclude agreements amongst themselves regarding their personal property. In traditional legal systems, the main purpose of a contract is to fulfil the intentions of the contracting parties, but in the Soviet Union the purpose was to realize the state’s economic plan. It was therefore essential for the state to revise the traditional contract law that had been previously imported from Europe; the scope of the contract law was limited through nationalization of the industrial means of production. The possibility of negotiations and reaching agreements between individuals next to vanished, at least concerning the important matters. Although some matters remained in the control of the citizens, there were general rules that could affect the legality of some contracts and sanctions could be applied for breach against these rules. By limiting the rights of the citizens to own and agree contracts the state gained control over the resources and citizens of society, which was regarded as a necessary means to implement the planned economy. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Upprättandet av Sovjetunionen innebar stora förändringar för det ryska samhället, inte minst på juridikens områden. Det som var mest utmärkande för Sovjetunionen var idén om att en på förhand utarbetad statlig plan, en planekonomi, skulle styra all tillgång och efterfrågan på marknaden inom unionen. Planekonomin tog sitt ursprung i den marxistiska ideologin, som förespråkade att kommunism skulle införas i samhället genom att staten först tog över ägandet av produktionsmedlen och sedan upplöste sig själv efter att ha fördelat produktionsmedlen efter behov till medborgarna. Som en konsekvens av införandet av planekonomi fråntogs medborgarna ägande till jord, skog, vatten och näringsverksamhet. Det som kvarstod var rätten till personlig... (More)
Upprättandet av Sovjetunionen innebar stora förändringar för det ryska samhället, inte minst på juridikens områden. Det som var mest utmärkande för Sovjetunionen var idén om att en på förhand utarbetad statlig plan, en planekonomi, skulle styra all tillgång och efterfrågan på marknaden inom unionen. Planekonomin tog sitt ursprung i den marxistiska ideologin, som förespråkade att kommunism skulle införas i samhället genom att staten först tog över ägandet av produktionsmedlen och sedan upplöste sig själv efter att ha fördelat produktionsmedlen efter behov till medborgarna. Som en konsekvens av införandet av planekonomi fråntogs medborgarna ägande till jord, skog, vatten och näringsverksamhet. Det som kvarstod var rätten till personlig egendom, vilket innebar rätt att äga sin lön, en bil och en bostad.

Inte nog med att möjligheterna till ägande inskränktes – medborgarna kunde inte heller fritt avtala sinsemellan om sin personliga egendom. I traditionella rättssystem har avtalet som huvudsyfte att uppfylla avtalsparternas intentioner, medan det i Sovjetunionen var att realisera statens ekonomiska plan. Det var därför nödvändigt för staten att revidera den traditionella avtalsrätten som tidigare hade importerats från framför allt de västligare delarna av Europa; avtalsrättens omfattning begränsades genom nationaliseringen av de industriella produktionsmedlen. Möjligheten till förhandlingar och överenskommelser mellan individer försvann nästan helt, i varje fall inom de viktiga områdena. Och även om vissa områden kvarstod hos medborgarna fanns allmänna bestämmelser som kunde påverka giltigheten och legaliteten av vissa avtal samt tillämpa sanktioner för brott mot dessa bestämmelser. Genom att begränsa medborgarnas rätt att äga och avtala skaffade staten sig starkare kontroll över samhällets resurser och medborgare, vilket man ansåg vara nödvändigt för att kunna genomföra planekonomi. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Rauer, Viktor LU
supervisor
organization
course
LAGF03 20191
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
rättshistoria, komparativ rätt, civilrätt, avtalsrätt, rättssociologi, sovjetunionen, äganderätt
language
Swedish
id
8976874
date added to LUP
2019-09-09 17:13:55
date last changed
2019-09-09 17:13:55
@misc{8976874,
  abstract     = {{The establishment of the Soviet Union entailed drastic changes for the Russian society, not least for the legal areas. The most distinctive characteristic of the Soviet Union was the idea that a pre-drafted state plan, a planned economy, would govern the supply and demand on the market within the union. The idea originated from Marxist ideology, which advocated that communism be introduced into society by means of the state taking ownership of the means of production and then dissolving itself, after having distributed the means of production to the citizens based on their needs. As a consequence of the introduction of planned economy, citizens were deprived of ownership of land, forest, water and businesses. What remained was the right to personal property, which meant the right to own one’s salary, one car and one home. 

Not only was the possibility for ownership restricted – nor could the citizens freely conclude agreements amongst themselves regarding their personal property. In traditional legal systems, the main purpose of a contract is to fulfil the intentions of the contracting parties, but in the Soviet Union the purpose was to realize the state’s economic plan. It was therefore essential for the state to revise the traditional contract law that had been previously imported from Europe; the scope of the contract law was limited through nationalization of the industrial means of production. The possibility of negotiations and reaching agreements between individuals next to vanished, at least concerning the important matters. Although some matters remained in the control of the citizens, there were general rules that could affect the legality of some contracts and sanctions could be applied for breach against these rules. By limiting the rights of the citizens to own and agree contracts the state gained control over the resources and citizens of society, which was regarded as a necessary means to implement the planned economy.}},
  author       = {{Rauer, Viktor}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Vi är herrar över lagen, inte lagen över oss - Om rätten att äga och avtala i Sovjetunionen.}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}